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Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Military Can’t Find Iraq Video

Clip was withheld from Reuters after 2007 request

WASHINGTON
- The U.S. military said Tuesday it can't find its copy of a video that shows two employees of the Reuters news agency being killed by Army helicopters in 2007, after a leaked version circulated the Internet and renewed questions about the attack.

Capt. Jack Hanzlik, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said that the military has not been able to locate the video within its files after being asked to authenticate the version available online.

"We had no reason to hold the video at (Central Command), nor did the higher headquarters in Iraq," Hanzlik said in an e-mailed statement. "We're attempting to retrieve the video from the unit who did the investigation."

GO HERE to read more.

Adam Kondziola's Arrangements

Joe,

As you know, Adam Kondziola, 28, passed away after a motor vehicle accident on the Salisbury Bypass last Friday night/Saturday morning. His family has completed the arrangements and they are as follows:

Friday, April 9, 2010

Harvest Baptist Church
119 S. Salisbury Blvd.
Salisbury, MD 21801
(410) 742-8041

Visiting Hours from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Celebration of Life at 7:00 p.m.

A memorial fund has been created in his name; details will be available at the service. His obituary should run in tomorrow's newspaper.

George Collins Hit With A $500,000.00 Bond!


Incident: Bomb Scare
Date of Incident: 6 April 2010
Location: 100 block of Main Street, Hebron, MD
Suspect: George M. Collins, 38, Salisbury, MD


Narrative: On 6 April 2010 at approximately 9:00 AM, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office was notified by employees of the Hebron Savings Bank in Hebron, MD about a suspicious package left in their drive-thru teller lane. Upon the arrival of deputies, they located an old chest with suspicious writing on it. This find came on the heel of another suspicious package found the previous day in front of the Mardela Springs Post Office. That package was also left with suspicious writing on the exterior that was believed meant to be intimidating. Both packages were treated as if they may have contained some sort of improvised explosive device and both caused concern in their respective communities.


Investigation identified George M. Collins of Salisbury as the individual responsible for leaving behind both packages.


In today’s incident local resources were augmented by Bomb Technicians from Ocean City, MD as well as one from St. Mary’s County Maryland who arrived via Maryland State Police helicopter. The package in Hebron caused the bank, town hall and a local grocery store to be evacuated as a precaution. After the package was detonated, it was determined not to be a threat.


Shortly after the Hebron package was discovered, deputies took Collins into custody. After questioning and further investigation, he was transferred to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Collins in the Detention Center in lieu of $500,000.00 bond. WCSO deputies received assistance from the Maryland State Police and the State Fire Marshal’s Office with this investigation.


Charges: Placing a Phony Destructive Device (2 Counts)
Disturbance of the Peace (2 Counts)
Littering (2 Counts)

PeeWee The Cat Has Been Found

Just a quick update. The cat we posted earlier has been found. Thanks Folks.

Nightly News At 6 PM

Eastern Shore Town Is An All-America City Finalist

Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Scott Wykoff and Associated Press

More than two dozen communities, including Salisbury, have been named finalists for the National Civic League's 2010 All-America City Awards.

The Denver-based organization says the cities were selected for addressing such issues as diversifying the labor force and funding services during the recession.

The other finalists are Chandler, Ariz., Bentonville, Ark., Dublin, Lynwood, Rancho Cordova and the Vernon Central neighborhood, Calif., Miami Lakes and North Miami, Fla., Acworth, Ga., Belleville and Canton, Ill., Noblesville, Ind., Des Moines, Iowa, Lenexa and Scott County, Kan., Bowling Green, Ky., Ferguson and Riverside, Mo., Lynbrook, N.Y., Gastonia, N.C., West Chester and Wyoming, Ohio, Mount Pleasant, S.C., El Paso, Texas, Abingdon, Va. and Middleton, Wis.

State Of Delaware Office Of The State Fire Marshal - Soda Bottle Bombs

The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Delaware State Police EOD unit are investigating an incident involving “Soda Bottle Bombs” found on Monday April 5th at approximately 1600hrs.

The “Soda Bottle Bombs” were found in the pool area of the Village of Five Points West Development. They were rendered safe and taken as evidence for further investigation.

Anyone with information should contact the Sussex County Division of the State Fire Marshal, 302-856-5600 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-TIP-3333.

Anyone observing or finding “Soda Bottle Bombs” should STAY AWAY and notify 911 immediately.

LOST CAT IN PITTSVILLE


Hey Joe,

Have seen how good your site is at finding lost animals so thought you could help. Monday our house cat Peewee somehow got out of the house and we haven't been able to find her. She is lost in the Pittsville area.

She is a female that has all shots and has been fixed. Hopefully you can post the
attached picture to your site and find her. My daughters are extremely sad that she is missing. Thanks for all you do for the animals.

Sincerely,
Jim Riekert
410-835-2211

Don't Miss Our 6 PM News Broadcast Tonight


URGENT “BEAT THE PEAK”

7 P.M. to 9 P.M., Tonight, April 6th

7 P.M. to 9 P.M., Tomorrow night, April 7th



Because of the warm weather forecasted in our region tonight and tomorrow night, we are asking you to delay the usage of all unnecessary lights and appliances during these hours as well as turning your thermostat up 3 degrees.

While the largest consumers of electricity in the home during these hours and during this time of year are cooling costs and lighting, other large consumers of electricity include major appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, clothes dryers, water heaters and stoves.

By delaying the use of unnecessary lighting and appliances as well as turning your thermostat up 3 degrees between 7 P.M. and 9 P.M., tonight and tomorrow night, we can save energy resources, avoid high cost energy and help the environment.

For more information on our “Beat the Peak” program visit www.beatthepeak.coop and be sure to signup for a free In-Home Indicator which you plug into the wall and it will alert you when a Beat the Peak event happens.

You can also follow our Beat the Peak alerts and other news by becoming a follower of Delaware Electric Coop on and/or.

If we all save a little, together we save a lot.

WICOMICO COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT!

Today's meeting starts at 6 PM so you have not missed it, in the normal place: Council Chambers on the 3rd floor of the Government Office Building.

The agenda is posted here: http://www.wicomicocounty.org/council/agenda_minutes/AGENDA.htm

Hebron Savings Bank Suspicious Package Images










The package was placed at HSB on Sunday afternoon. He drove there on his gator. It was placed against the wall by the drive-thru. He was at the bank for a while placing it in different locations. It was not easily seen. It was discovered by a drive-thru customer this morning. The bank was evacuated while just a couple of customers were inside.

Collins had a motorcycle repossessed by HSB president Greg Johnson two or three years earlier.

Happy Birthday Joe Albero On Suspicious Bomb Package At Hebron Savings Bank

The Maryland State Police had to fly in a Bomb Technician from Easton to work on the suspicious package left in the Drive Thru at the Hebron Savings Bank in Hebron, MD.

During their investigation law officials found Happy Birthday Joe Albero on the package. Further investigation on George Merrill Collins, Waller Road in Salisbury, Maryland revealed no prior arrest history and could be released as soon as this afternoon by a Commissioner.

While the Sheriff's Department charged Mr. Collins with multiple charges, because of no prior arrest history and the fact that he's probably not a flight risk, the odds of him being released are pretty good.

That being said, we are reaching out to the Waller Road Community and asking that neighbors contact the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office, (410-548-4891) immediate if they see Mr. Collins driving his Gator anywhere off his property.

Shhh!!!, What If It Was Reported That They Are Spraying Aluminum?

Could a Ban of Transparent Reporting at the Asilomar Conference be an Attempt to Cover-Up World-Wide Contamination From Stratospheric Aerosol Geo-Engineering Programs?

Geo-engineers gathered once again near Monterey California at the Asilomar International Conference on Climate Intervention Technologies meeting to develop norms and guidelines for what they say will be “controlled experimentation” on geo-engineering the planet. While many claim that stratospheric aerosol geo-engineering (SAG), aka chemtrail programs are in full-scale deployment, organizers of this meeting showed a lack of transparency by either denying or holding reporters to a high set of rules which limited what information was brought to the attention of the public. While we might never know how much information from the conference was suppressed in articles and reports, we do know some of the information that was not included. The issue of current SAG deployment and the use of aluminum in these programs seemed to be missing from reports and articles that came out of the conference.

Mauro Oliveira, webmaster of GeoEngineeringWatch said that aluminum became a concern to many after the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) meeting when independent journalists sent shockwaves around the world after breaking the story of scientists discussing the plausibility of spraying 10 to 20 mega-tons of aluminum into the sky in SAG campaigns. Francis Mangels, a retired USDA/USFS Biologist commented on the use of aluminum by saying, “although aluminum is an abundant element, it does not exist naturally in the environment in free form. Dispersing massive amounts of ultra-fine aluminum particulates as proposed by geo-engineers into the stratosphere would have unquantifiable human health and environmental impacts”. When scientists were asked about the risks associated with the use of aluminum sprayed as an aerosol in SAG programs, they admitted that they have only begun to research aluminum and have published nothing. They also admitted that something terrible could be found in the future that they don’t know about. Also, when asked about deployment of current programs, scientists denied that any SAG programs have been deployed. This contradicted the findings of many who claim that SAG programs are well under-way and that high amounts of aluminum and other harmful substances from these programs are being found resulting in the devastation of eco-systems and the health of people around the world.

GO HERE to read more.

Toyota: Sales Incentives Extended Through April

Discounted leases, zero-percent financing helped boost sales amid recalls

NEW YORK - Toyota will continue to offer most of its heavy incentives throughout April after the deals helped lift its sales more than 40 percent last month, the automaker said Tuesday.


Toyota Motor Corp. will continue to offer cheap leases on up to eight of its most popular models, including the Camry, Corolla and RAV4. It is scaling back its zero-percent financing offers to just six vehicles instead of eight, but is expanding a popular two-year free maintenance program to all customers.


The free maintenance program was limited to just return customers in March, but Toyota said it is expanding the program because it was popular among customers.


GO HERE to read more.

U.S. Court Rules Against FCC On Net Neutrality

Ruling is setback for agency's push for national broadband plan

WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the Federal Communications Commission lacks the authority to require broadband providers to give equal treatment to all Internet traffic flowing over their networks.

The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is a big victory for Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable company. It had challenged the FCC's authority to impose so-called "net neutrality" obligations on broadband providers.

The ruling also marks a serious setback for the FCC, which is trying to officially set net neutrality regulations. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski argues that such rules are needed to prevent phone and cable companies from using their control over Internet access to favor some online content and services over others.

GO HERE to read more.

Veteran Employee Of Griscillo’s Thriftway Charged With Theft Over $300,000

Incident Location: Thiftway, 196 Penn Mart Shopping Center, New Castle, Delaware, New Castle County

Date of Occurrence: April 2009 – November 2009

Involved Parties: Suspect Allan Finlaw, 47, of Carney’s Point, New Jersey

Resume: Detectives from the Delaware State Police Financial Crimes Unit have completed the investigation into the theft of over $300.000 from the Griscillo’s Thriftway in New Castle.

Yesterday afternoon, Troopers formally charged Allan Finlaw with 8 counts of Falsifying Business Records (felony). He voluntarily turned himself at Troop 2, accompanied by his attorney, and was released on a $13,000.00 unsecured bond.

This investigation revealed Mr. Finlaw, a 20-year-employee at the grocery store, was responsible for making the bank deposits for the business. An audit of the business records revealed Finlaw began to keep some of the proceeds from these deposits in the beginning of 2009. He would then make up the shortage by using the following days deposit to cover his tracks. This behavior continued through November of 2009.

In all, the business lost over $300,000.00 and eventually closed.

Delaware Electric Co-op's Connection Card Program Hits A Milestone


Delaware Electric Co-op’s Connection Card Program hits a milestone
Members have saved over $500,000 on prescription
drugs since the program began




GREENWOOD-- Delaware Electric Co-op members using their Co-op Connections card have realized huge savings at pharmacies and participating local and national businesses.

During the month of March, savings on prescription drugs for Delaware Electric Co-op members surpassed $500,000 since the Connections Card program began in October, 2007.

The Co-op Connections card is a three prong savings program for electric cooperatives across the country. There is the prescription drug saving program, local business discount program and the national business discount program.

Local and national pharmacies, through a discount prescription program, offer 10 to 60 percent savings on many prescription drugs. Currently, over 48,000 independent and national pharmacy chains are participating in the program. Also, more than 160 local businesses across the Delaware Electric Co-op service area are participating by offering discounts unique to their business.

“This is another way your Electric Cooperative is working for you, our member,” said Bill Andrew, Delaware Electric Co-op President & CEO. “But remember, the only way we can do better and to save more is for you to make sure you are using your Cooperative Connections Card whenever and wherever you can,” he continued.

Delaware Electric Co-op and electric cooperatives across the country have provided these cards for their members to receive discounts from any of the participating businesses or pharmacies across the nation. For a full listing of discounts and benefits provided by the Coop Connections Card, visit our website at http://www.delaware.coop/. For members who have misplaced their cards call our office at (302) 349-9090 in Sussex County or (302) 398-9090 in Kent County for a replacement.

Delaware Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric utility serving over 77,000 member-owners in Kent and Sussex County, Delaware. For more information visit us on the web at www.delaware.coop or http://www.beatthepeak.coop/ or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Michael Steele Digs In His Heels

A defiant Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said he is mending his spending but not stepping down.

"I hear our base out there, I hear the leadership," Steele told ABC's "Good Morning America." "And we're taking steps to make sure that we're even more -- how shall we say? -- fiscally conservative in our spending."

But asked whether he would resign, Steele bluntly responded, "No."

A recent Federal Election Commission report on RNC expenditures included hundreds of thousands spent on private jets, luxury hotels and a $1,946 reimbursement for a night at Voyeur, a sexy Los Angeles nightclub with a lesbian and bondage theme.

Steele said he was "angry" when he learned of the nightclub expenditure, took steps to deal with the situation -- then blamed his critics for blowing it out of proportion.

"I think a lot of this has really kind of taken it a lot further down the road and blowing it up larger than it needs to be," the chairman said.

So far, no leading Republican has come forward to call for Steele to step down, and if Steele is getting behind the scenes pressure to go, he sounds like he is resisting.

But pushing out the Republican Party's first black chairman is a tricky business, and many Republicans have so far preferred to criticize Steele's leadership while publicly stopping short of demanding his ouster.

A recent National Journal survey of Washington Republican insiders found that 71 percent believe Steele is a liability to the party, while 20 percent judged him an asset.

[ Inconvenient Factoid: Ignoring all the spin, the first black chairman of the RNC has reportedly raised $96 million since he was elected, but has already blown through most of it, with the fall midterm elections still seven months away-- Editor ]

Many top donors have said they will no longer donate to the committee, opting instead to give their money to congressional committees, the Republican Governors Association, or individual campaigns.

The key responsibility of the party chairman is raising money, and a new splinter group of former Republican officials is planning to challenge him on that front.

New American Crossroads includes former RNC Chairman Mike Duncan and former RNC co-Chairwoman Joanne Davidson. Former Chairman Ed Gillespie, along with former Bush administration political adviser Karl Rove, are also involved, among others.

More here

Salisbury Police Department Press Releases

On April 5, 2010 at approximately 10:22 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center to meet with the victim of a rape. Upon arrival the officers met with a juvenile female who advised that she had been raped by a subject known to her family. The victim advised that the assault occurred at a residence on Jefferson Street, and during the assault the suspect refused to let her leave the residence. Detectives from the Salisbury Police responded and following her interview, obtained an arrest warrant then took the suspect into custody.

ARRESTED: Ernest Carlton Johnson, 45 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Second degree rape
Second degree assault
False imprisonment
Reckless endangerment
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000013512

On April 5, 2010 at approximately 1:57 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Sears Department Store at the Centre at Salisbury for the report of two (2) shoplifters. Upon arrival the officers met with store security who advised that store employees had observed the below listed suspects taking clothing from the store without making any attempts at payment. The suspects were stopped and the property was recovered and returned to the store.

ARRESTED #1: Jaleshia Antionette Turner, 18 years of age
Princess Anne, Maryland
ARRESTED #2: Juvenile, 12 years of age
Princess Anne, Maryland
CHARGES (Both): Theft (under $ 1000)
DISPOSITION: Suspect # 1 released to Central Booking
Suspect # 2 released to guardian
CC # 201000013440

On April 6, 2010 at approximately 2:05 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the five hundred (500) block of Winder Street for the report of an assault. Upon arrival the officers located an adult female victim of a domestic assault. The victim advised that she had been assaulted by the below listed suspect during an argument. The suspect struck the victim a number of times in her facial and torso areas. The victim was transported to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center for treatment, and the suspect was taken into custody.

ARRESTED: Randy N. Nelson, Sr., 46 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: First degree assault
Second degree assault
Reckless endangerment
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000013531

Update On Hebron Savings Bank




Salisbury News has been updated on the alleged bomb threat sent in earlier this morning. Another suspicious package was left at the Hebron Savings Bank which alarmed Bank employees.
We've also been informed that Mr. George M. Collins is again the #1 suspect. The photos above were taken yesterday evening at Mr. Collins home in N.W. Salisbury off Waller Road. Salisbury News has been told Mr. Collins has been using the above Gator to get around and drop off packages to business locations as well as residences.
Mr. Collins has been arrested. Charges and Press Release to follow. In the mean time, now you have it WBOC, WMDT & The Daily Times.
UPDATE: The West Side Primary School is in lock down.


SALISBURY -- BEWARE ANOTHER BAD PROPERTY DEAL

The Council is being taken down the primrose path once again by the owner of a derelict property – the site of the former “Linens of the Week” (and other laundry operations) with the assistance of Louise Smith and Shanie Shields. This is a ridiculous proposition, what with major costs for property that is almost worthless.

If the Habitat for Humanity group wants it, let them take it directly from the owner.

As for the City, just say “No”!

Tea Parties Targeted For Disruption By Anarchists?

It's a note by an anonymous blogger, but it's making the rounds on the Internet because it urges citizens to disrupt April 15 tea-party rallies from the inside.

"Organize counter-protests against the tea party demonstrations, same time, same place," the message states. "This is probably the best option. We need to get in the streets on April 15th and show the tea-party movement that there are lots of people out there who oppose their agenda."

The tea parties are a general assortment of people with issues ranging from opposition to high taxes to concern over massive government expansion through President Obama's socialist-type health care program and industry bailouts. If there's a common factor, it's opposition to Washington's agenda and a promotion of individual rights and responsibilities.

The note posted on an anarchist blog urges the nation's anarchists to carry out demonstrations to break up tea-party rallies.

The writer calls the tea parties "a coalition of conservatives, anti-Semites, fascists, libertarians, racists, constitutionalists, militia men, gun freaks, homophobes, Ron Paul supporters, Alex Jones conspiracy types and American flag wavers."

The message warns of consequences if the tea party movement is not derailed.

"If the tea-party movement continues to grow in size and strength there is a big chance they will dominate this country in the near future. If the tea-party movement takes over this country they will really hurt poor people by getting rid of social programs like food stamps, unemployment benefits, disability benefits, student aid, free health care, etc," the note said.

The note accuses tea party activists of malicious intent.

"The tea-party movement will say these programs must be gotten rid of because hard-working taxpayers cannot afford to pay for these things especially when the economy is in a depression," the author claims.

Under no circumstances should opponents ignore the tea parties, the note warns.

"This is the worst option because without anyone opposing them they could easily gain power," the author wrote.

The letter, noted by bloggers Gateway Pundit and Jawa Report, was posted at Infoshop News, which is edited by Chuck Munson.

The site's homepage says it provides "Anarchist news, opinion and much more."

More here

EPA Chief Sees Job As Activist Position?


Does Environmental Protection Agency Chief Lisa Jackson view her post as an activist position that can be used to spread America's wealth?

Jackson has given scores of speeches touting "environmental justice" and recently launched an initiative aimed at achieving "environmental justice," a policy critics warn could be a ruse to spread the country's wealth.

WND reported another top administration official, Obama's regulatory czar Cass Sunstein, wrote it is "desirable" to redistribute America's wealth using "environmental justice."

Meanwhile, Jackson, the first African American to head the EPA, routinely mixes environmental activism with racial politics.

Jackson has made remarks on race that seem to echo controversial statements by Obama's former "green jobs" czar, Van Jones, who resigned in September after it was exposed he founded a communist organization. Jones previously stated his advocacy for green jobs was part of a broader movement to destroy the U.S. capitalist system.

In an EPA video announcing a new "environmental justice" initiative, Jackson opens with, "There are too many places in this country where pollution and environmental degradation fall disproportionately in low-income and minority communities. ... We can't stand by and accept those disparities. As a start we are building our environmental team."

Similarly, Jones drew fire for remarks he made in 2008 when he claimed, "The white polluters and the white environmentalists are essentially steering poison into the people-of-color communities because they don’t have a racial justice framework."

The concept of "environmental justice" permeates Jackson's work.




Here's more on this

Breaking News In Hebron

Just got word there is a bomb threat at Hebron Savings Bank in Hebron. It was called in and the bank has been evacuated.

More to come.....

Another Serious Problem At The Wicomico County Detention Center

Hi Joe,

My son is an inmate at the county detention center, and he made me aware of a huge problem yesterday when I talked to him. His cell block was locked down on Tuesday of last week for a shakedown and they turned off the water to keep people from flushing things down the toilets. He said that they didn't turn the water back on until YESTERDAY. For 6 days all those men were without any running water in their cells. They couldn't use the bathroom, they couldn't drink any water and they had to wait until after the Easter weekend to get it turned back on.

My son told me that they made repeated requests to the officers on duty, and submitted complaint forms to the warden's staff but didn't get no replies. I tried calling the detention center about it but was told nobody was available to take my call. I am at a loss for what to do, so I wanted to bring it to your attention to maybe see if you could bring this some attention.

I know these are inmates, but my son is a good boy, just made a mistake and is now paying for that mistake. These men shouldn't have been kept without running water for almost a week. Its got to be some kind of human rights violation or something.

Thank you for your attention in this. Your the guy I know I can turn to when everyone in the government keeps ignoring me.

Salisbury Safe & Secure

Salisbury News Saves Taxpayers Money, Again

Back in February we let the Mayor and taxpayers of Salisbury aware of yet another scam deal the Salisbury Fire Department upper management was about to pull on the taxpayers. Management had contracted a local repair shop the job of replacing the engine in the above Crown Victoria for $5,000.00. Now this was a vehicle that is just falling apart and Firefighters were not happy with managements decision to pull such a stunt, especially since the Fire Department is so top heavy with new vehicles at the moment.

That being said, my hat is tipped, (once again) to Mayor Ireton for stepping in and pulling this vehicle from the repair shop. The vehicle now sits behind the SFD and its future is unknown at this time.

Our articles about this vehicle brought in 183 comments in all, HERE and HERE.

Auxiliary Police Officers

The Salisbury Police Department is now accepting applications for the Auxiliary Officer Program

Interested persons can pick up an Auxiliary application at:
Salisbury Police Department, 699 W. Salisbury Parkway, Salisbury, Maryland

Completed applications must be submitted to the Salisbury Police Department by Friday, April 23rd

More details- http://www.salisburypd.com/Auxiliary.htm

March Statistics Send Mixed Messages On Economy

March unemployment statistics are out today from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the unemployment rate appears to have held steady at 9.7 percent. That’s what it’s been for all of 2010, so far.

On the whole, 162,000 jobs were added in March. McClatchy reports that this is the “strongest job growth since the nation entered recession in 2007 and the strongest confirmation yet that the U.S. economy is on the mend.”

But take this job creation statistic with another statistic.

In the same month, U.S. bankruptcy filings reached their highest since 2005, with 158,141 American consumers and businesses filing for bankruptcy. That’s a 35 percent increase from February, and a 20 percent increase from March 2009. According to Reuters, the new bankruptcy figure reflects “the unevenness of the economy’s stabilization after the deepest recession since the 1930s.”

Source

Half Time At The Dog Show

National Zoo Celebrates 100 Years Of Easter Monday

A century-old tradition had a great turn out as families celebrated African-American Family Day at the National Zoo.

For more than 100 years, families have visited the zoo to celebrate Easter Monday. The zoo set up Easter-themed activities and games for kids. There were also live performances by an a cappella gospel quintet and a children's puppeteer.

A special showcase by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture discussed their sustainable and green building design.

GO HERE to read more.

GOP Chairman Michael Steele Still In The Spotlight

Michael Steele found himself back in the spotlight Monday after linking criticism of his work to his race.

The White House played a role, too.

Steele earned headlines after stating that black political leaders, such as President Barack Obama and himself, are unfairly held to a higher standard because of their race.

The White House quickly responded to the comments, ensuring the latest Steele story stayed alive.

Steele started the back-and-forth early Monday morning, in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

“The honest answer is, yes,” Steele said in response to a question about whether he has a slimmer margin for error than past GOP chairmen because of his race.

“Barack Obama has a slimmer margin. A lot of folks do,” Steele said.

Steele’s remarks came a day after Republicans in the House and Senate used the Sunday talk shows to put pressure on the Republican National Committee chairman over RNC spending, which critics of Steele complain has become lavish.

Democrats have reveled in the Steele story, and the White House quickly responded to his remarks on Monday.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called Steele’s remark “silly.”

“I think Michael Steele’s problem isn’t the race card, it’s the credit card,” Gibbs added.

Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton immediately put Gibbs’s jab on Twitter, where it was picked up by media across the country.

More from The Hill

Steyn: The Democrats' Fake Hate Crime

On March 20th, something truly extraordinary happened. On the eve of the health care vote, a group of black Democrat Congressmen (eschewing the private tunnels they usually use to cross from their offices to the Capitol) chose to walk en masse through a crowd of protesters, confident that the knuckledragging Tea Party goons they and their media pals have reviled for a year now would respond with racial epithets.

And then, when the crowd didn't, the black Congressmen made it up anyway. Representative Andre Carson (Democrat, Indiana) insisted he heard the N-word 15 times. He's either suffering from the same condition as that Guam-flipper from Georgia, or he's a liar. At a scene packed not only with crews from the Dem poodle media but with a gazillion cellphone cameras, not one single N-word has been caught on audio. (By contrast, see my post yesterday for how easy it is to get it on tape when real epithets are flying.)

I disagree with John Lewis (Democrat, Georgia) politically but I have always respected him as a genuine civil rights warrior. And I feel slightly queasy at the thought that he would dishonor both the movement and his own part in it for the cheapest of partisan points - in the same way I would be disgusted by a Holocaust survivor painting a swastika on his own door and blaming it on his next-door neighbor over a boundary dispute.

But that's what the Democratic Party has been reduced to - faking hate crimes as pathetically as any lonely, mentally ill college student. Congressmen Carson, Lewis, Cleaver and the rest have turned themselves into the Congressional equivalent of the Duke University stripper. Except that they're not some penniless loser but a group of important, influential lifetime legislators enjoying all the privileges and perquisites of power, and in all probability acting at the behest of the Democrat leadership.

Isn't that what societies with functioning media used to call "a story"?

Apparently not. As they did at Duke, the brain-dead press went along with it - and so, predictably enough, did much of the Republican leadership.

Source

Connerly: Inestimable Harm

The national debate about health-care insurance has underscored one indisputable fact: In every way imaginable — socially, ideologically, culturally, politically, and financially — the American public is profoundly divided. There is one area of division that is starker, more enduring, more contentious, and with greater potential to leave lasting scars than others; and that is the area of race. Each of the other factors of American life intersects with race, thereby compounding its effect upon all Americans.

If I have learned one thing from life, it is that race is the engine that drives the political Left. When all else fails, that segment of America goes to the default position of using race to achieve its objectives. In the courtrooms, on college campuses, and, most especially, in our politics, race is a central theme. Where it does not naturally rise to the surface, there are those who will manufacture and amplify it.

Such is the case with the claims that the “Tea Partiers” are a bunch of racists and that many of them spat upon members of the Congressional Black Caucus and called them “n*****s.” I am convinced beyond any doubt that all of this is part of the strategic plan being implemented by the Left in its current campaign to remake America.

In a video that has been played repeatedly showing CBC members as they walked past the tea partiers, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. is seen using his telephone to tape the event. If he had any evidence to corroborate the racial claims, why hasn’t he come forward with his phone by now to settle this matter? I believe we all know the answer.

I agree with earlier Corner posts on the matter: By their reckless accusations, those who are alleging “racism” without evidence are doing inestimable harm to the social fabric of America.

(NRO)

Today's Survey Question





Do You Wear A Seat Belt While Driving & Or Passenger?

YES or NO?

Panel: Justice Stonewalling On Panthers


President Obama or Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. should declare publicly whether executive privilege has been invoked in the Justice Department's refusal to release documents showing why voter-intimidation charges against the New Black Panther Party were dismissed, says the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.



Declaring an impasse in negotiations between the commission and the department, Commission Chairman Gerald A. Reynolds said the Justice Department has "repeatedly refused" to provide any basic information regarding the case, instead asserting "vague and generalized privileges" that do not apply.



"The actual basis for the department's continued refusal to cooperate with the commission remains unclear," Mr. Reynolds said in a letter last week to Mr. Holder. "For example, has the president invoked executive privilege over the materials that the commission is seeking? If that is the case, the president or the attorney general must so state.



"The department's continued refusal to provide the requested information will lead to a conflict of interest, whereby the target of the subpoena — the department — can evade its statutory obligation to the commission by refusing to respond to or enforce the commission's subpoena," he said.



Mr. Reynolds asked Mr. Holder to respond by April 12 on whether he intends to cooperate in the inquiry "as is required by law," whether he would direct his subordinates to do so, and if he intends to allow Justice Department employees to respond to the commission's subpoenas to testify.


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More Than The Left Wants To Admit

More than a quarter of Americans describe themselves as supporters of the Tea Party movement, and the demographics of this group generally mirror the demographics of the national population, according to a USA Today/Gallup Poll.

From March 26-28, Gallup asked 1,033 adults this question: “Do you consider yourself to be--[a supporter of the Tea Party movement, an opponent of the Tea Party movement] or neither?

Twenty-eight percent said they considered themselves to be a supporter of the Tea Party movement. A smaller percentage, 26%, said they were opponents of the Tea Party movement. Thirty-eight percent said they were neither, and 8 percent had no opinion.

“In several other respects, however--their age, educational background, employment status, and race--Tea Partiers are quite representative of the public at large,” Gallup’s Lydia Saad wrote in an analysis of the poll.

According to Gallup, 75 percent of the U.S. population is non-Hispanic White, while 11 percent are non-Hispanic black, and 15 percent belong to other races. Meanwhile, 79% of Tea Party movement supporters are non-Hispanic white, while 6 percent are non-Hispanic black, and 15 percent belong to other races.

More here

House Plans To Resurrect Law Requiring 'Gay' Hires

Now that the health-care fight has proven House Democrats can muscle through legislation without a drop of bipartisan support, plans are underway to resurrect a bill that would make employers susceptible to lawsuits for refusing to hire "gay" or transsexual employees.

H.R. 3017, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2009, or ENDA, makes it unlawful for government agencies or businesses with more than 15 employees to refuse hire or promotion of anyone based on "gender-related identity, appearance or mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of an individual, with or without regard to the individual's designated sex at birth."

The bill does make exceptions for the U.S. military, religious organizations and some businesses with non-profit 501(c) designations, but makes no provisions for business owners' consciences. A small construction company that wanted to maintain a Christian reputation, for example, could be sued if it refused to hire transvestites.

Openly homosexual members of the House, enthused by the health-care victory, are now looking to return from the congressional recess to begin work on ENDA.

''I am now confident that we will be getting a vote on ENDA,'' bill sponsor Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., told Boston's Edge, ''The fact is, there was no chance of getting [Pelosi] to focus on this until health care was done. Health care is now done.''

He continued, "What people in our community need to do now is focus on lobbying members of the House so that we have the votes for it.''

The bill already has 198 cosponsors, not far from the number of votes needed to pass or the 219 that enabled the health-care legislation to squeak through.

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POLLITT & IRETON WON'T BE THERE!


Today's Wildlife Photo By Scott Phoebus

Scary Stuff!

No. 7: DELAWARE
Assault: 7
Burglary: 18
Murder: 10
Motor Vehicle Theft: 19
Rape: 9
Robbery: 3
No. 8: MARYLAND
Assault: 10
Burglary: 23
Murder: 2
Motor Vehicle Theft: 4
Rape: 45
Robbery: 2

Well, Alrighty Then!

Obamacare's Legislative Dysfunctions

THE WASHINGTON TIMES


As passage of Obamacare recedes into the distance, its varied substantive and procedural abuses deserve scrutiny. Far too little attention was paid to how Senate Democrats refused all reasonable attempts to make an atrocious bill just a little less bad.


For example, when congressional leaders attached a federal takeover of the student-loan industry to the health care bill, Sen. Lamar Alexander, Tennessee Republican, tried to reduce by 1.5 percent the interest rate the government would charge. "The government will borrow money at 2.8 percent and loan it to students at 6.8 percent, then spend the difference on more government," he said. "Any savings should go to the students, not the government." Senate Democrats disagreed, thus depriving students of choice and savings.


Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah Republican, tried to block cuts to Medicare Advantage plans if more than a million seniors were projected to lose their health coverage as a result. After all, President Obama repeatedly vowed that nobody would lose coverage they wanted to keep. Never mind, Senate Democrats voted down Mr. Hatch's proposal.


Republicans tried to eliminate the various parochial sweetheart deals known popularly as the Louisiana Purchase, the Connecticut Con Job, and the like. Democrats insisted on retaining these deals, which were used to buy votes for their government health care takeover.


Republicans also proposed that the bill not go into effect unless projections showed, as per the president's promise, that it "would not increase premiums more than the premium increases projected under existing law." They also proposed separate amendments to exempt several groups of patients from paying a new tax on medical devices: First, wounded soldiers; then pediatrics, the disabled and cancer patients. Democrats said no, no, no and no. No matter what the costs, and no matter who would be hurt, the bill would become law without any changes. The list of amendments killed by the Democrats went on and on - at least 42 of them, by our count, all of them aimed at protecting Americans from harmful effects of the new law.


The most high-profile amendment defeated by Senate Democrats ought to have passed unanimously. Its failure is testament to how the Democrats' brute politics in passing the bill overshadowed concerns about the bill's actual substance. The amendment would have banned government-funded health plans from paying for drugs for erectile dysfunction, such as Viagra, for "individuals convicted of child molestation, rape or other forms of sexual assault." Perversely, Democrats killed the amendment. Maybe they think child abusers have a natural right to Viagra.
Yet there was one class of people, one favored group, Democrats did choose to protect - themselves. Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican, offered an amendment "to make sure the President, Cabinet members, all White House senior staff and congressional committee and leadership staff are purchasing health insurance through the health insurance exchanges" established by the new law. Senate Democrats obviously think of themselves above the ordinary Joe, because they killed that amendment as well, so they can continue to be covered by the luxurious Federal Employees Health Benefit Program.


Democrats rejected all these common-sense amendments because they won't have to live under the law they forced on ordinary Americans.

Mayor Doing For The Rich And Not The Middle Class

A copy of an email I posted on WBOC , Todays News Headlines.
I wonder if the working class people here in Salisbury will get some Federal aid. After all we are not rich enough to call the Mayor and have city employees to come out to our homes and remove the snow from the roads and from around our vehicles and driveways. Like the rich who live off Quantico Road in a development there who complained to the Mayor and he sent employees right away to plow their roads the way they wanted them done. They also did not want any snow plowed up in big piles because they did not want to have to look at them and the city had the snow trucked away from their development. Hey Mayor, the City Charter says no employees on private property. What do you have to say about this? Your as bad as the mayor before you. She had city employees go out to Canal Woods and sand bag one of her friends property whenever there was bad weather forecasted. City employees, city material and trucks. Wonder what this cost the citizens of Salisbury. You think the employees are going to keep quiet? No way sir. We thought you were going to be different. You as crooked as the rest of them. You should be ashamed of yourself. Oh and the city council members, you are getting special treatment also, right?Any city employees coming out to your property? Need I say more?

Discover The Outdoors At Pemberton Park This Month

On Thursday, April 8 at 7:30 P.M., Pemberton Historical Park will present a lecture on how to Invite Wildlife to Your Backyard. This workshop series will begin in April and continue into June, occurring on the second Thursday of each month. On this particular evening, participants will learn about the dangerous animals that may visit your backyard; ways they can be harmful and ways that they can be helpful. This program is $6 per person or $18 for a family of four.

Now that spring is here, the weather is getting warmer and the forest is coming back to life. Join a Park Naturalist for a Night Hike on Friday, April 9 at 9:00 P.M. and explore the park for its waking nocturnal inhabitants. Discover for foxes, flying squirrels, bats and more! This program is $6 per person or $18 for a family of four. Friends of Pemberton receive free admission.

On Saturday, April 10 at 11:00 A.M., Pemberton will hold the first Tiny Tykes Hike of the season. If your child loves the outdoors, then bring them along on this hike. Explore different topics through stories, crafts, live animals, games and hikes. This month’s program is all about birds! The program is developed for children ages 2-4 and is $6 per child or free for Friends of Pemberton.

Come back at 1:00 P.M. for the Family Scavenger Hunt. Bring the whole family out and discover the sights, sounds and wonderful experiences that spring at Pemberton has to offer! First, second and third place prizes will be awarded. This program is $10 per family of 4-6 people. Please register in advance.

Pemberton Historical Park is located at 5561 Plantation Lane in Salisbury, MD. For more information, please contact Kerri Liming at (410)860-2447 or email pembertonpark@wicomicocounty.org.

Liberal vs. Conservative

For those who don't know about history,Here is a condensed version:
Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.

The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:

1. Liberals, and
2. Conservatives

Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That's how villages were formed.

Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to BBQ at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement.

Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly BBQ's and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement.

Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. Those became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.

Over the years conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass.

Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat.

Conservatives drink domestic beer, mostly Bud or Miller. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, engineers, corporate executives, athletes, members of the military, airline pilots and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.

Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America . They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.

Here ends today's lesson in world history:

It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above before forwarding it.

A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately to other true believers and to more liberals just to piss them off.

And there you have it. Let your next action reveal your true self.

Remembering "The Alamo"

I must not have been much older than three when I first saw John Wayne’s The Alamo.
It was impressive to say the least. More than likely, my father took me to see it, since he was the one who always took me to the “guy movies,” films with fighting and war and, well, lots of men. (Mom, on the other hand, got the assignment for Jerry Lewis, Disney and Doris Day movies, while Grandmom was my musicals connection.)

But from the beginning The Alamo was special to me. I am almost positive I saw it at least three times in the theaters, going again after it was reissued after its 1960 original arrival.

No doubt the character of Davy Crockett was a big draw. He was a big deal in my household before The Alamo, portrayed by Fess Parker in installments of Walt Disney’s weekly series “Disneyland.” While the exploits of “The King of the Wild Frontier” and sidekick George Russell (limned by a pre-Jed Clampett Buddy Ebsen) offered stirring adventure for any youngster—whether it be bear wrassling or battling river pirates—it was the sequences set at the Alamo and the Texans’ struggle for freedom that really got to me at an early age. So engaged I was in the myth of Crockett, that I donned a coonskin cap—like scores of other youngsters at the time—to take in Davy tackling the Goliaths in rerun after rerun on the new deluxe size Zenith television set my parents had just purchased.

“Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee, sweetest place in the land of the free…”

When The Alamo was released, however, there was confusion. After all, this Davy Crockett was not Fess Parker. It was a new guy—at least to me—who seemed older than the other Davy Crockett. He spoke differently, in a deliberate style; walked differently, now with a gait; and didn’t remind me much of the Davy I’ve come to know and love. It took a while to accept him as Davy, but what choice did I have? John Wayne replaced the image of Davy Crockett I’d come to know and love, whether I liked it or not.

But with The Alamo, there wasn’t a whole lot not to like for a new but awe-inspired moviegoer like myself. There the new incarnation of Davy Crockett was, several stories high on the big screen, battling Santa Ana’s Mexican forces. Dimitri Tiomkin’s wonderful score rattled the theater along with the gun blasts. And when “Old Betsy,” his trusted rifle, ran out of ammo, Davy took it by the barrel, smacking the bad guys with its handle. Of course, I eventually had one of those, too, courtesy of my grandmother, a gift on my sixth birthday.

But Davy Crockett wasn’t the only character one could root for in The Alamo. Other characters, also introduced earlier in the Disney version, arrived bigger-than-life as well. Among them: Jim Bowie, played by the always steely Richard Widmark, inventor of the Bowie knife, who uses his nifty invention while bed-ridden on an enemy interloper; Laurence Harvey’s dashing Col. William Travis with his wide-brimmed hat; and Chill Wills as “Beekeeper,” Buddy Ebsen’s replacement, as Crockett’s (now whiskey-guzzling) sidekick.

To a youngster, The Alamo went on forever, 202 minutes to be precise, in its original release form. There was an overture and intermission, and the final battle sequence was really long. But it didn’t matter.

As the years went on, I read more and more about the making of The Alamo and the actual battle itself. Not surprisingly, I learned the movie has little to do with the truth and neglects most of the historical back story, despite its lengthy running time. I also discovered that John Wayne put over $1 million of his own money into the film, was forced to sell the finished movie to United Artists, and allowed mentor John Ford to shoot second unit on the production.

There are great stories about how veteran character actor Chill Wills self-promoted his way into getting an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor—against Wayne’s wishes. Wills and his publicist took out trade ads stating “We of The Alamo cast are praying harder than real Texans prayed for their lives at the Alamo for Chill Wills to win the Oscar.” Yet another ad read “Win, lose or draw. You’re still my cousins and I love you all.” Groucho Marx reportedly sent a letter to Wills, stating: “Dear Mr. Wills, I am delighted to be your cousin. But I’m voting for Sal Mineo (who was nominated for Exodus).”

I also learned that the ultra-conservative Wayne intended his version of The Alamo to work as an allegory for U.S./Russian relations at the time, and that the production was a tough one, nearly three months in length, its troubles compounded by Wayne’s insistence on complete control of the project.

Ironically, The Alamo was radically cut for its “roadshow “engagement in neighborhood theaters. The Duke was on location working on another film at the time, and one of his sons assisted in the editing process.

The original versions of The Alamo exist only on old VHS tapes and on laserdisc. The discarded parts, totaling close to a half-and-hour, were once thought to be lost. They have been located, but need serious restoration, and rumors abound about bringing The Alamo back to its original form for DVD and Blu-ray, and even a limited theatrical release. It is currently controlled by MGM, a company currently on the sales block (again), so the reported 50-year anniversary reissue scheduled seems purely a pipe dream at this point. (It's worth noting that the film is finally being released on DVD on May 11th--although this will be the edited 162 min. version. For more info, click here).

Still, The Alamo is with us, in whatever form. Quentin Tarantino, a Texas native, used its haunting Oscar-nominated song The Green Leaves of Summer as the theme to Inglourious Basterds. And its memories remain indelible to the kid in the tenth row of the Philadelphia movie theater, wearing a coonskin cap, and sitting next to his dad, awestruck as the spectacle of the Texas battle for independence unfolded before him.

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Releases

Incident: Attempted Assault on a Deputy
Date of Incident: 2 April 2010
Location: 32000 block of old Ocean City Road, Parsonsburg, MD
Suspect: Edward F. Huntington, 61, Millsboro, DE

Narrative: On 2 April 2010 at 6:21 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office was in the parking lot of an establishment in the 32000 block of Old Ocean City Road when his attention was drawn to a woman yelling at a subject in the parking lot. While the deputy was speaking with the woman, identified as Lydia May Hicks, the deputy discovered an open warrant for her arrest and took her into custody.

While in the process of arranging to transport Hicks back to the Sheriff’s Office, a man later identified as Edward Huntington exited the establishment where the woman had just been. The deputy observed Huntington get behind the wheel of a Ford Explorer and start the engine. Huntington then proceeded to drive in the direction of the deputy in what the deputy assumed was an attempt to run him down. After Huntington refused repeated requests to stop his vehicle, the deputy managed to take decisive action that encouraged Huntington to cease his attempt to run him down. Huntington was removed from his vehicle and placed under arrest. During the arrest process, Huntington admitted wanting to run down the deputy in order to free Hicks. Also post arrest, it was discovered that Huntington’s Delaware Driver’s license was suspended and that he had put registration plates from another vehicle on the unregistered one he was operating.

Huntington was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained him in the Detention Center in lieu of $50,000.00 bond.

Hicks was held at the Wicomico County Detention Center on $500.00 pre-set bond.

Charges: Attempted First Degree Assault
Interference with a Lawful Arrest
Reckless Endangerment
Driving While Suspended
Operating an Unregistered Motor Vehicle
Displaying Registration Plates for Another Vehicle


Incident: Child Abuse
Date of Incident: 1 April 2010
Location: 900 block of Booth Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Christopher D. Burrell, 46, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 1 April 2010 at 9:30 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported altercation in the 900 block of Booth Street. Upon arrival, the deputy met with a male juvenile who was visibly upset and suffering from a recent contusion to the face. The deputy learned that the juvenile and his father, Christopher Burrell, became involved in a heated argument when the juvenile stated that his father punched him in the face causing the injury.

The deputy located the victim’s father and subsequently placed him under arrest, transporting him to the Central Booking Unit. At the Central Booking Unit Burrell was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Burrell in the Detention Center in lieu of $10,000.00 bond.
Charges: Child Abuse
Assault 2nd degree


Incident: Smuggling
Date of Incident: 1 April 2010
Location: U.S. 13 N/B at Foskey Lane, Delmar, MD
Suspect: 1. Shijie Chen, 68, New York, NY
2. Lin Zhenfeng, 46, Flushing, NY

Narrative: On 1 April 2010 at 7:30 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a New York Registered sedan travelling northbound on U.S. 13 in the Delmar area. While speaking with the occupants, the deputy observed several large black in color trash bags which appeared to have some sort of merchandise inside. After further investigation, the deputy discovered that the trash bags were full of cartons of cigarettes purchased in Virginia. The deputy determined that the duo were on their way back to New York where the Virginia bought cigarettes would then be sold.

The total amount of cigarettes located inside the vehicle amounted to 3,838 packs. Both Shijie Chen and Lin Zhenfeng were placed under arrest for transporting the Virginia bought cigarettes through Maryland without paying Maryland tax on them.

Both subjects were transported to the Central Booking Unit where they were processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, both were detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $10,000.00 bond each.

Charges: Transport Cigarettes or other Tobacco products with unpaid tax
Possession of Unstamped Cigarettes


Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Date of Incident: 2 April 2010
Location: Old Quantico Road at Nanticoke Rd, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Amanda Joy Taylor, 24, Tyaskin, MD

Narrative: On 2 April 2010 at 8:34 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported single vehicle collision on Old Quantico Road. Upon arrival, the deputy discovered that a 1997 Buick operated by Amanda Joy Taylor of Tyaskin Road had struck a telephone pole, splitting it in half. Upon making contact with Taylor, the deputy detected that she had been consuming alcohol, evident by the odor she emitted and other exhibited physical characteristics. At the conclusion of the deputy’s investigation, a determination was made to arrest Taylor for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The arresting deputy released Taylor on citations pending a future court date.

Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Driving While impaired by Alcohol
Reckless Driving
Negligent Driving


Incident: Possession of Crack Cocaine
Date of Incident: 4 April 2010
Location: Salisbury Blvd at Cypress Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Dubusries D. Balkcom, 29, Easton, MD

Narrative: On 4 April 2010 at 4:45 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle operated by Dubusries Balkcom for operating a vehicle with expired registration. During the traffic stop, the deputy also discovered that Balkcom’s Maryland Driver’s license had been suspended. A Drug K9 team from the Princess Anne Police Department arrived to scan the vehicle for the presence of the odor of illegal drugs, during which the K9 alerted to that odor. Based on the alert the deputy searched Balkcom and his vehicle, finding what the deputy recognized as crack cocaine in Balkcom’s possession. The crack cocaine was individually wrapped into three separate baggies, indicative it was destined for sale or distribution.

The deputy placed Balkcom under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Balkcom in the Detention Center in lieu of $20,000.00 bond.

Charges: Possession of Crack Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute

Obama Limits When U.S. Would Use Nuclear Arms

WASHINGTONPresident Obama said Monday that he was revamping American nuclear strategy to substantially narrow the conditions under which the United States would use nuclear weapons.

But the president said in an interview that he was carving out an exception for “outliers like Iran and North Korea” that have violated or renounced the main treaty to halt nuclear proliferation.

Discussing his approach to nuclear security the day before formally releasing his new strategy, Mr. Obama described his policy as part of a broader effort to edge the world toward making nuclear weapons obsolete, and to create incentives for countries to give up any nuclear ambitions. To set an example, the new strategy renounces the development of any new nuclear weapons, overruling the initial position of his own defense secretary.

Mr. Obama’s strategy is a sharp shift from those of his predecessors and seeks to revamp the nation’s nuclear posture for a new age in which rogue states and terrorist organizations are greater threats than traditional powers like Russia and China.

GO HERE to read more.